God blesses us with the ability to make the world our own through expanding His Presence in Creation: “The heavens are God’s, but the earth He has given to mankind.”

We acquire the earth through the same “Blessing” with which God showers us: “He will bless the House of Israel.” “But we will bless God from this time and forever.”

Our blessings matter because they are an expression of Free Choice – Our highest connection to God. We experience real life through our choices, which matter enough to make the earth ours: Neither the dead can praise God, nor any who descend into silence.”

Kavana: I can make the world mine by using my Free Choice to expand His Presence in Creation.

“The dead do not praise the Creator of Worlds, nor do those who go down to their doom. But we – we praise the Creator of Worlds.” The wicked are often described as spiritually “dead.” We use this Hallel, and the special Teshuva opportunity afforded by Shevat, to celebrate that by connecting to God by singing His praises, gives us new life, as we pray God will do on the Rosh Hashanah of Tu Bishvat.

The Mei Hashiloach begins to talk about something very very deep. There are two things going on with us human beings. There are certain mistakes which I make, we are talking about chas veshalom doing aveiras, that’s one thing. But then there is something much deeper. Every person has something wrong with them inside. This is why we are here in this world, because if I would be complete than I wouldn’t have to be in this world. So basically, this world is a hospital, this world is where I fix myself. The truth is that even after I fixed every aveira I did since I was born, I am still not fixed, because there is something deep deep inside of me which needs fixing.

I want you to open your hearts like mad. It says ‘Vayelech Moshe’, And Moshe went. And the Zohar Hakadosh says ‘Kegufa Belo Yada’, like a body without hands. I’ll give it you a nutshell, maybe not a hundred percent but approximately it’s what it is. The Holy Ishbitzer asks what does it mean? The Holy Ishbitzer says like this. Right after it says Vayelech Moshe, it says that Moshe Rabbeinu told the yidden that every eighth year all the yidden should get together in Yerushalayim and mamesh learn Torah, this is called ‘Mitzvas Hak’hel’. All the yidden mamesh got together on the eighth year. When it comes to Mitzvas Hakhel it says ‘bring your children.’ The Gemara asks why do you have to bring children, they don’t understand what will be spoken there. But the Gemara says ‘Liten Sachar Lemivieihen’, a person was to bring their children in order so that the children would cause their parents to receive a reward for bringing them.

Now open your hearts.

There is a Torah which I understand with my head, when something makes sense to me. Then there is a Torah that has to do with my hands, I do this and I do that. But my hands have two functions, my hands down below represent what I’m doing. But imagine if I am holding up my hands, what am I doing? When I hold up my hands, I am reaching for something which I don’t have yet, I am longing for something which I don’t even know how to get. So the Ishbitzer says like this. Can you imagine what Moshe Rabbeinu was longing for with his hands? You know what happened, on that day he mamesh reached that point of getting to where he always longed to get to. Wherever he was holding up his hands, that’s where he reached.

There is a level which I did wrong, I did an aveira, and I can fix it by doing tshuvah. What about that part of me that needs fixing which is so deep, that which is beyond me? Dovid Hamalech says ‘Becheit Yechematna Imi’.We are talking about a part of me that was created like this, the way I was born, there is something inside which needs completion. Where do I reach that? I only reach that when I hold up my hands. That’s a different Torah. So I want you to know the deepest depths. When was Moshe Rabbeinu given the Torah of the hands? Throughout his life, Moshe Rabbeinu taught the yidden how to fix everything they did wrong, but how about the things they didn’t do anything wrong on a practical level? We were born this way, you gotta fix it.

Now listen to this unbelievable thing. When we take out the Torah and we put it on the table, we don’t say ‘Vezos HaTorah Asher Sam Moshe’. Do you know when we start yelling ‘Vezos HaTorah Asher Sam Moshe’? This is the Torah which G-d gave us? When we are holding up the Torah with our hands. Only when we lift our hands up do we say ‘This is the Torah which Moshe brought down from heaven’. The Torah which Moshe Rabbeinu brought down from heaven is that you can even fix that thing which is embodied in you. The holiness of the Torah is that you can fix that.

Now listen, just open your hearts. The Ishbitser says a mind-blowing Torah…mamesh a rebbeshe Torah. He says what do parents worry most about their children? Not so much about the mistakes they will make, because I know they will make mistakes and they will fix it. But I’m worried most about this one little thing which is wrong with them. How would I fix that, how will I fix that? So he says a gevalt Torah. On the eighth year, when everybody carried their children in their hands, what level of hands were they holding them? Are the hands on the level of doing something or are the hands on the level of mamesh reaching to the highest depth? When I am carrying my children to Hak’hel this is the Torah of holding up my hands to heaven. So he says ‘Liten Schar Lemiviehen’, what kind of a reward? I was given the reward that I can fix my children and I can fix myself. So how do I fix myself? When I carry my children. Unbelievable Torah, mamesh a Torah from heaven. So he says that on the eigth year, when yidden would carry their children up to Yerushalayim, the Torah of Hak’hel is not the Torah of what you did wrong. The Torah of Hak’hel is getting all the yidden together, and this is the Torah which Moshe Rabbeinu left us before he left this world, the Torah of how to fix that which can’t be fixed. It’s unbelievable.

This is what was given to us in Vayelech.

Okay, now I thought of something very deep.

Now listen to this sweetest friends. On Yom Kippur I am doing tshuva. I want you to know something very deep. I can tell one of my friends what I did wrong, and they will help me fix it. i can go to a rebbe and tell him I did this wrong, I want to do tshuva. The question is, whom can I tell that one thing which is wrong with me? I want you to know the deepest depths. I can’t even tell G-d unless I lock the door and I want to be alone with G-d. I am afraid to even tell G-d. So you know what the last prayer of Neila is? Neila is when I lock the door and I am pouring out my heart and I am telling G-d ‘you know something, this is all nothing. Yom Kippur is beautiful and cute, but I want you to fix that one thing which is so deep that only you can fix it.’

Now listen to the deepest depths, again you have to open your hearts very wide. There are two kinds of prayers. There is a prayer I am praying for sometimes, and then there is a prayer which I am praying for all the time, mamesh all the time. Obviously this prayer which I pray to G-d to fix the mistakes I made I am not praying all the time. Sometimes I make mistakes, sometimes I fix them. What am I praying for constantly? That one thing which needs fixing inside, it’s beyond me, I don’t know what to do with it, it’s beyond me.

This is Achas Sha’alti Me’eis Hashem… that one thing which I constantly pray for.

What’s a house? In Ishbits it’s very strong. Ki Beisi Beis Tefila. That prayer which I constantly pray for is called a house, a house is constant. Friends, let me ask you, do you know what it means that the Holy Temple is destroyed? We still pray, but we don’t pray anymore to fix the deepest depths. We only pray for the little outside things. The Beis Hamikdash is a place where you fix this deepest depths there is. I want you to know that Moshe Rabbeinu basically is the Master of the Torah what to do. Ahron Hakohen… how come Ahron Hakohen is blessing with his hands, what’s so special about his hands? Ahron is the Master of the hands. Ahron Hakohen, his thing is how to teach yidden how to hold up their hands. So therefor he has the holiness of how to bless in his hands. Everybody knows that the Beis Hamikdash is the house of Ahron Hakohen.

Now listen to this deepest depths. Everybody knows that the Succa is Ahron Hakohen’s house, annanei hakavod, the clouds of glory. Without even getting involved in the deepest depths. The Succa is Ahron Hakohen’s house. You know what we do? The Ishbitser says, the only one who is mamesh praying like mad that I should fix that which is so deep are my parents. Who are my parents, who are your parents? Avraham, Yitzchak and Ya’akov, Moshe Ahron, Yosef Dovid. The guests of the Succa. So you know what it is? On Yom Kippur I realize that throughout the year? I was always praying for the little mistakes I did, I was waiting to do tshuva for the little things. Why didn’t I pray for that which I have to pray for all the time, for the real fixing? And now I want you to go one step deeper. What does it mean that all of Israel is in exile? All of Israel in exile means that we are praying for little things, we stopped praying for the big things. Being in exile means that we stopped praying that Mashiach should come. I cannot bring Mashiach, you know why? Because Mashiach’s fixing is that fixing where my actions don’t reach, my actions don’t reach there. It’s something deeper than all this.

You know what it says? Vehesihiv Lev Avos Al Banim Velev Banim Al avosam. When Eliyahu Hanavi is coming he will bring the parents and the children of the parents. Mamesh, now it’s so clear, because the Ishbitzer says that the only one who can fix this inside of children is when parents carry them. And they in return fix their parents. So this is what Eliyahu Hanavi is doing before Mashiach is coming, the fixing between the children and the parents.

So this is the whole thing of the being in the Succa after Neila, after I lock myself and I tell G-d everything which is wrong with me, not this little things I made mistakes, that I fixed already by Mincha. By Neila I am mamesh taking G-d inside of me to that place which is locked all year long, I’m afraid to open it. So then I make a little Succa’le, and there my parents come, Avraham, Yitzchak, and Ya’akov, and they mamesh carry me into the Succa. So I want to add that not only Avraham Avinu comes to the Succa while I am sitting there, but mamesh Avraham Avinu carries me into the Succa, because how are parents fixing their children? By carrying them. What do we do with the lulav? Mamesh, the whole thing is holding up the hands. shukling, the hands, unbelievable. The whole thing about succos and the succa is the hands. I am holding up my hands, putting up the Schach. Everything is holding up the hands higher than myself. And then, the end is Simchas Torah when mamesh I see that the Ribbono Shel Olam put everything in the Torah. Suddenly I realize this is mamesh the Torah which is fixing myself. What am I doing? I don’t open the Torah, because that Torah which is fixing my deepest depths is not the words of the Torah, but it’s the whole Torah itself, mamesh the whole Torah.

I want you to know something, between people it’s also very deep. Sometimes I love somebody very much on a detail level. I am filling certain needs a person, I am doing them certain favors. Sometime a husband and wife fill each other’s certain needs, but then… then they cannot fix that which is missing. But if it’s beyond words, beyond everything there is like this Torah, Vezos HaTorah Asher Sam Moshe, the Torah of when you are holding up your hands, this has no words because it’s everything together. This is the Torah of Simchas Torah. And it’s unbelievable how on Simchas Torah every father and mother bring their children to shul. They mamesh carry their children because they know that this is the only way to fix it, they know it’s the only way to fix it.

Almost forty years before this week’s portion of Vayeilech, “And we (Moshe) walked,” God began revelation by saying, “Thus shalt you say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel,” understood as an instruction to teach each person in the manner with which he or she could relate. Strangely, we never find Moshe speaking to each individual in this personalized manner. Rather, “Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and set before them all these words which God commanded him.”

And God said to Moses: “Go, Lech, to the people,” reminiscent of His first charge to Abraham, “Go from your country, Lech Lecha,” and, again, we find that Moshe seems to do something other than what God commanded, “And Moses went down from the mount to the people,” he did not Lech, go, but ‘went down.’

Until this week’s portion, Vayeilech, “And Moses went and spoke these words to all Israel.” It seems that on this, the final day of Moshe’s life, he fulfilled the Lech of long ago, and the personalized instruction first commanded at Sinai, because Vayeilech is understood as Moshe going to each family to offer personalized words of farewell.

Abraham too ends the significant part of his life as patriarch with a Lech: “And He said: ‘Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go, lech lecha, into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt-offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell you of’.”

Moshe could not fulfill the personalized Lech until the end of his life, when he could go to each person with an individual message. The commandment of Sinai was to take them on a journey that would culminate in this sense of Lech, a personalized message that would allow each his or her individual journey with God.

We read of Abraham’s ultimate Lech on the second day of Rosh Hashanah, because his journey too was one that would serve as an example of walking with God, journeying through life with God; the real challenge and blessing of Rosh Hashanah: Discover your own personal journey through life.

It wasn’t boring; it was moving. I intended to listen to the reading of the names of the victims of the 9-11 attacks for just a few moments to honor those who died on that tragic day. I ended up listening for quite a while. It may have been the recital of a long list of names, but the way it was done left me feeling that each name mattered.

The Reading of the List set me on a search for a list of my own. I kept a list of all the people at whose funeral I was honored to officiate. The list began in 1983 when, as a new rabbi in Saratoga Springs, New York, I was asked to officiate at a funeral in Glenns Falls, New York. This was the first time I was asked to serve at a funeral for someone who was a stranger. He was a member of a dying community and there were few people who knew him to honor him. His wife was already quite old, and did not remember very much. His son, grandchildren, and great grandchild, seemed to be in a rush to get through the funeral and returned to their lives. I had a devastating sense that this man would soon be forgotten. I wanted him to be honored by more than a tombstone, so I began my list. He is remembered. His life mattered.

There are, unfortunately, hundreds of names on the list. A childless man buried by his wife, who is also on my list as she passed away just a few months later. They were all alone in the world. Clearly, soon to be forgotten. They are on my list and I mention their names each time I recite Yizkor, the Memorial prayer we recite on major holidays. Their lives still matter.

There is the man who sat by himself in synagogue week after week, praising every sermon that he, being deaf, could not possibly have heard. He was buried far away from home in a cemetery close to his long deceased wife and parents. I made a pledge to him at his funeral that I would not forget him and that he too would be on my list.

The Reading of the List on 9-11 moved me because I recalled visiting El Salvador just a week after a devastating earthquake killed more than 20,000 people, and realized how many of them would soon be forgotten as if they had never existed. The List reminded me that all too often in this world there are those we treat as if their lives did not matter.

The Reading of the List reminded me of another list that is also read aloud each year: Our tradition teaches us that every human being is called before the Heavenly Judge on Rosh Hashanah, his name is announced, and he is judged. This is a list of Names that Matter.

We matter to the Creator.

God judges us because we matter to God.

God judges us because everything we do matters to God. This is the list of people who matter.

This is the gift of Rosh Hashanah.

When we are taught that on the opening night of Rosh Hashanah the judgment begins, we are reminded that the opening moments of Rosh Hashanah are gift from God, assuring us that we matter. The rest of Rosh Hashanah is simply a celebration of that gift.

Moses had seen the Children of Israel at their best when they stood before Sinai and chose to engage in an eternal conversation with God.

Moses saw the Children of Israel at their worst when he rushed from Sinai to present God’s gift of the Two Tablets only to find them dancing wildly around the Golden Calf.

The man who had met these people as slaves, led them through redemption, and watched them grow into expansive human beings, was convinced that they could raise themselves from their deepest pits of self-doubt and soar back to their highest potential:

“Come!” he invites them and us, “Let us sing to God,” and regain your crowns of achievement that I have been holding for you since you shed them after the Golden Calf.

Moses remembers a powerful tale of a human being who appreciated Shabbat as the perfect opportunity to reconnect to his highest moments: Adam.

Adam sinned on the same Friday on which he was created. When he heard God’s voice after he ate of the Tree of Knowledge, rather than hear the message, “I want you to hear me even though you slipped up,” Adam ran away. He did not know, he did not believe that a person who fell so hard could rise again. That is, he did not believe it possible to regain his heights until Shabbat.

God allowed Adam to remain in the Garden for Shabbat. God granted Adam the gift of Shabbat and eternity despite Adam’s belief that he had forfeit access to the eternal. God allowed Adam to continue to experience the Original Perfect Light of Creation even when Adam closed his eyes and hid from himself, convinced that such vision would never again be his.

As Shabbat began, Adam opened his eyes, experienced the Original Light, felt the light touch of the Eternal, and began to discern God’s Voice/Message in the gift of Shabbat:

Moses, who began by inviting us to sing with him and reclaim our crowns of achievement, helps us listen in to Adam’s invitation of Teshuvah: “Come! Let us prostrate ourselves and bow, let us kneel before God, Who relates to us even when we relate to existence at the lowest level, that of Assiyah – The Maker.”

Adam invites us to kneel after we prostrate and bow. Do we not kneel on the way down to bowing? Why speak of kneeling after bowing?

Unless, Adam is speaking of kneeling on the way up after bowing; pausing as we rise from the lowest point and focus on the rising that follows the bow rather than the prostration. Adam understood that the gift of Shabbat is the opportunity to rise to the greatest heights no matter how distant or low we feel.

Moses applies Adam’s lesson and invites us to rise up and sing with him, reclaim our lives at their highest. The question is never how low we fell. It is always how well do we rise?

And so, too, O God, our Lord, instill Your awe upon all Your works, and Your dread upon all You have created. Let all works revere You and all creatures prostrate themselves before You. Let them all become a single society, to do Your will wholeheartedly. For as we know, God, our Lord, that the dominion is Yours, might is in Your hand and strength is in Your right hand, and Your Name inspires awe over all that You have created.[1]

The Abudirham explains that the phrase, “And so…” is based on Esther’s saying. “And so I will come before the king.”[2] Esther knew that she was loved by the king more than all the other woman of the kingdom, and that he would summon her in the near future. However, she was unwilling to wait for him; she wanted to go immediately after her preparations. But as opposed to the first time that she went into the king after a year’s preparation with perfumes and beauty tips, this time she would go into the king after three days of fasting, when she would not be at her best. She was willing to risk everything to approach the king. So too, we, on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are not willing to wait for God. We will risk everything and go directly to Him although we are certainly less than well-prepared.[3]

First Approach (Rashi)

Pachad refers to the heart pounding astonishment[4] and worry[5] (where and how will I fit in?) felt by those immediately close[6] to a revelation of God’s Presence. Eimah refers to the fear caused by the unknown[7], something beyond my immediate comprehension[8] when things no longer make sense[9] to my way of thinking. Yirah is the awe that comes with the clarity of seeing[10] God as much as a human being can comprehend.

Stage 1:

Pachad – Your works: Works come from the lowest form of Creation; Assiyah. They can only experience something that is immediately before them. The most they can feel is Pachad. We ask that there be a revelation of God that will be clear enough for the lowest form of creation which will then add to the Presence of God in the world, which, in turn, will affect us. We are not asking God to make us experience fear; “Everything is in the hands of Heaven except for the Fear of Heaven.”[11] We are declaring ourselves prepared to respond to revelation with fear.[12] We will not ignore what God will manifest.[13]

Eimah- Creations: The revelation of Your Presence should be in such a way that we sense something beyond us which will make us reach/search for the unknown. Creation here means the act of creation; something from nothing. We are declaring ourselves prepared to respond to God’s revelations beyond the obvious and to search for the unknown. At this moment in the prayer, one must reflect on experiences and studies of the previous year when they felt something intangible, ethereal and pray for the understanding to comprehend similar messages that God will send over the coming year.

Stage 2:

Works –Yirah: Even the lowest forms of creations; those who live only on the most immediate level, will see every detail of the world with clarity and be filled with awe. “I request the clarity to see You in everything.”

Creations-Bow: Those with the ability to relate to the abstract will put their insights into action, they will bow with humility. “I will put all my insights into action. I will serve You with humility.”

Stage 3:

All will become a single society: “Only when all the Jews are joined can the King be revealed.”[14] “I commit myself to join with all other Jews with love, without hatred and jealousy, so that You can reveal Yourself as King.”[15]

Do Your will wholeheartedly: “Reveal Your Unity and I will respond with unity; total commitment.”[16]

Stage 4:

Dominion is Yours: Refers to “HaGadol” what You reveal through nature. “I will acknowledge that all that I see in nature is Yours.”

Might is in Your Hand: Refers to “HaGibor” what You reveal through the miraculous. “I will acknowledge and respond to Your miracles”

Strength is in Your right Hand: Refers to “HaNorah” that which is beyond human comprehension. “I will live with the awareness that reality is beyond anything I can see.”

Stage 5:

Your Name inspires Yirah over all You have created: All beings with souls (created) have the clarity of God as part of their essence but their desires and evil inclination conceal that clarity.[17] “I will respond to what You reveal this day by seeing what I know in the most hidden parts of me, to be true.

And so, too, God, grant honor to Your people, praise to those who revere You, good hope to those who seek You, and eloquent speech to those who hope to You; gladness to Your land, and joy to Your city; flourishing pride to David, Your servant, and preparations of a lamp for the son of Jesse, Your anointed – speedily, in our days.

Stage 1:

Honor to Your people: May all see that we are Your people, special to you.[18] “I will act in a way that reflects the honor You have given the Jews.”

Praise to those who revere You: “At that time all the idol worshippers will praise the Jews and say; ‘See the praise of this nation that attached to the Holy One, Blessed is He, no matter what happened to them. They never abandoned Him. They were always aware of His Goodness and Praise.’”[19] “I will attach to You and will always be aware of Your Goodness no matter what happens to me.”

Good hope to those who seek You: “And she went to seek the Lord.”[20] Rebecca went to the prophet with the hope that she would receive a clear answer. We request that God reveal Himself this year so that we will have hope that all our questions will be answered. “I will search with hope for answers to all that troubles me.” “You are to know this day, and answer the questions of your heart,[21] that God is the only Lord – in heaven above and on the earth below – there is none other.”[22]

Eloquent speech to those who hope to You: Those who have waited for Moshiach[23] will be able to open their mouths with the pride of justification. “I will wait for the Moshiach so that I can speak with clarity so that all can understand that this world can be unified in Your Name.”

Stage 2:

Gladness to Your land: Simcha is laughter over something good that was totally unexpected and impossible happening to me.[24] This laughter is one of the sounds of the Shofar![25] Your land is the place where the child arrives after being born.[26] The place where he will live his life and earn his World to Come. We are praying that the Divine Presence fill the Land of Israel so much more than ever before that the land will laugh with the joy of the unexpected. (We will also include this in our kavanot when we hear the shofar tomorrow.)

Joy to Your city: Sasson is the joy over the greatness[27] that comes with the forgiveness of sins[28] and the restoration of deeper levels of connection with God.[29] Your city is Your capital[30], a place by which You are identified[31], and to which You are responsible.[32] “Please restore the greatness of Jerusalem by forgiving our sins, and restoring the deep level of awareness that existed when Your city was standing and reflecting Your Presence.” (Remember; we lived with a much deeper awareness of Hashem and the impact of our choices when Jerusalem was whole.)

Flourishing pride (horn) to David: “After this I was watching in night visions, and behold a fourth beast, exceedingly terrifying, awesome and strong. It had immense iron teeth, and it was devouring and crumbling, and trampling with its feet what remained. It was different from all the beasts that had preceded it, and it had ten horns. As I was contemplating the horns, behold! Another horn, and a mouth speaking haughty words. I watched as thrones were set up, and the One of Ancient days sat.[33] His garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head like clean wool; His throne was of fiery flames, its wheels blazing fire. A stream of fire was flowing forth from before Him, a thousand thousands were serving Him, and myriad myriads were standing before Him. The judgment was set, and the books were opened. I saw that after this, because of the sound of the haughty words which the horn spoke, I watched until the beast was slain and its body destroyed and consigned to a flame of fire.[34] As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, yet an extension of life was given them until a season and time. I was watching in night visions and behold! With the clouds of heaven, one like a man came; he came up to the One of Ancient Days, and they brought him before Him. He was given dominion, honor and kingship, so that all peoples, nations and languages would serve him; his dominion would be an everlasting dominion that would never pass, and his kingship would never be destroyed.”[35] [36] “We ask that when You judge today, that You will judge all those who oppress us and give over their power to the Moshiach.”

Preparations of a lamp for the son of Jesse: “There I shall cause pride to sprout for David; I have prepared a lamp for My anointed.”[37] The lamp to bring My light to the world.[38] David’s father, Jesse, had no expectations of his son. In fact, he was ashamed of David. Yet, it is David who brings God’s light to the world. David had expectations of himself. He was able to access the lamp that God had prepared for him. We pray that we, the Jewish People, continue to have expectations of ourselves to be able to bring God’s light to the world.

And so, too, the righteous will see and be glad, the upright will exult, and the devout will be mirthful with glad song. Iniquity will close its mouth and all wickedness will evaporate like smoke, when You will remove evil’s domination from the earth.

Ramchal explains that unlike the rest of the year when we first must pray for the destruction of evil before we pray for the righteous, on Rosh Hashanah, because it is a beginning, before evil has asserted its power, we can pray for the righteous first.[39]

Raising of the Good:

Rashi holds that the Yashar is on a higher level than the Tzaddik[40].

Tzaddikim – See and have Simcha: The Tzaddik emanates life[41], Simcha[42], hope[43] and light[44]. He is able through his being a source of life[45] to bring atonement[46] and knows how to appease the Creator.[47] For example, because he is willing to overlook anything improper done to him, he is able to approach the Creator and ask that He too overlook any insult.[48] In fact, he is so successful in bringing atonement that the Temple in Jerusalem is called his home.[49] The Tzaddik is greater than the angels.[50] The Tzaddik is a source of life. When he will have clarity, Yirah, that will come with this beginning of life, Rosh Hashanah, he will be filled with the laughter of Simcha, unexpected possibilities of life. The potential of life at the beginning is unlimited, reflecting the essence of the Tzaddik. The sound of the Shofar is the sound of his laughter. We want to laugh with him.

Yesharim – Exult: The Yashar is the person who, through his attachment to the Mitzvot, has developed a sensitivity to intuit God’s Will in situations that are not spelled out in black and white in the Torah or Halachah.[51] He will be filled with Alizah, a contagious joy that will infect all around him to experience in their relationship with God.[52]

Chassidim- mirthful with glad song: The Chassidim here refers to Ba’alei Teshuva.[53] They will burst out in song with their mouths and hearts.[54] Even after they sing they will still have song in their hearts that they were unable to express with their mouths.[55] The Shofar is the expression of that unexpressed joy. (Please note: On the day that we do not blow the Shofar, it is important to focus on these different kavanot regarding the Shofar.) The Chassidim are able to reach a level of joy that is so powerful that they receive a level Ruach HaKodesh that they are able to sing ever greater levels of praise.[56] We pray that we too are able to praise You with such joy that we receive new insights into Your praise. The Shofar becomes an instrument to which we dance.

Destruction of Evil:

Iniquity – Close its mouth (see reading from Daniel 7 above) “Thus there is hope for the poor, and iniquity shuts its mouth.”[57] The first attack of evil was with its mouth; when the snake opened a conversation with Eve. We pray that evil will be cut off at its source.

Wickedness – Will evaporate like smoke: “Lift up your eyes to the heavens, look at the earth below – for the heavens will evaporate like smoke, and the earth will wear out like a garment and its inhabitants will die, as well; but My salvation will be forever and My righteousness will not be broken.” All of this existence is a façade of reality. We pray that the façade will evaporate so that we can experience God’s salvation and witness His righteousness.

Evil’s domination – You will remove from the Earth: “Behold, I am against you, O wicked one, the word of my Master, the Lord of Legions, for your day has arrived, the time for Me to punish you. The wicked one will stumble and fall, and there will be no one to lift it up. And I will set fire to its cities, and it will consume all its surroundings.”[58] “The wickedness of your heart has misled you, who dwells in the clefts of the rocks in his lofty abode, who says in his heart, “Who can bring me down to earth?’”[59]

[3] See Zohar, III that compares our process on Rosh Hashanah to Jacob going into Issac wearing the “clothes of sin” of Esau.

[4] Rashi: Isaiah 60:5

[5] Malbim ibid

[6] Rashi; Exodus 15:16 “Song of the Sea”

[7] Abraham at the Brit bein Habitarim

[8] Rashi; Exodus 15:16

[9] Rashi: Isaiah 33:18

[10] Yirah also means to see.

[11] TB Berachot 33b

[12] Maharal, Gevurot Hashem, chapter 56

[13] Rabbi Yisrael Salanter said that we must be more careful on this Day of Judgement to be completely committed to our words.

[14] Nachmanides; Deuteronomy 33:5

[15] Sefer Chareidim, Chapter 74

[16] Daily Amidah: “Bless us, our Father, all of us, as one, with the Light of Your Face.”

[17] Rabbeinu Tam; Sefer Hayashar, Fifth Gate

[18] Based on Rashi; Genesis 20:16

[19] Rashi; Deuteronomy 32:43

[20] Genesis 25:22; this refers to Rebecca who was troubled by her pregnancy.

[21] This is the translation of the Ramchal in The Knowing Heart, paragraph 1.

[22] Deuteronomy 4:39

[23] Based on TB Rosh Hashanah 30a

[24] Rashi; Genesis 17:17; describing Abraham’s laughter when he heard that he would be having a child at age 100.

[25] Based on Rashi, Isaiah 16:10

[26] Rashi, Ezekiel 38:4

[27] Rashi; Psalms 45:8

[28] ibid 51:10

[29] ibid, verse 14

[30] Based on Rashi, I Kings 20:34

[31] Based on Rashi, Jeremiah 12:5

[32] Based on Rashi, Ecclesiastes 10:11

[33] Rashi: God will set up two thrones, one of strict justice and the other of mercy. God will judge Rome/Edom when the Messianic era arrives.

[34] Yalkut Shimoni, Daniel, chapter 7, #1064: The horn of power will be given to Moshiach and the righteous and they will sit with God and judge the angels representing the nations that oppressed the Jews throughout history.

[35] Daniel 7:7-14

[36] Rashi, Ezekiel 29:21 This is what is referred to as the “lifting of the horn of David.”

[54] Rabbi Yehuda ben Yakar (The rebbi of the Ramban) Commentary on the Siddur; Blessing of Al Hatzaddikim

[55] Shirat David on the Siddur

[56] This is based on TB Succah 52b that describes the dance of the Chassidim at the Simchat Beit HaShoeiva. The Gemara implies that the praises sung by the Chassidim increase as they sing and dance.

[57] Job 5:16

[58] Jeremiah 50:31-32

[59] Obadiah 1:3. This is a prophecy against Edom. Obadiah was born an Edomite, converted and eventually became a prophet. His prophecy is all the more powerful because it is an expression of someone from Edom itself.

[60] This is the acronym for the Vilna Gaon. He differs from Rashi on the definitions of many of the terms in these prayers.

[61] Job 31:23. Rashi explains that Job had such clarity of reward and punishment, as if it were right in front of him, despite the injustice of his suffering, that he was filled with Yiras Haromimus, awe of God’s exaltedness. See Ralbag and Metzudas David who agree with Rashi.

[62] Gra; Habakkuk 1:7 based on Mechilta on the Song of the Sea. He must have had a different text than we do. He may have based this on an original reading of a Sifra; Bechukotai, Chapter 7.

[63] Avnei Eliyahu

[64] Isaiah 5:12

[65] Psalms 8:4

[66] Gra; Genesis 1:1; This is his explanation of the blessings; “Borei pri ha’adama, ha’eitz, minei mezonot.” All these blessings refer to what exists not the action of creation.

[67] Rabbi Chaim Volozhin in the name of his rebbi, the Gra, quoted in Siach Yitzchak.

Rabbi Eliyahu Dessler accompanied a student to the train station, the first stop on the young man’s journey to a new country. As they approached the station, the student asked his holy rabbi for a blessing.

“From the depths of my heart, I wish for you, that you find a good seat for your journey, so that your travels will be comfortable.”

“My Rebbi, is that the best blessing that you have for me? You can only bless me for my journey and not for my life!”

“I did bless you for your entire life. My intention was that this is only the first step of your life’s journey. I blessed you with a comfortable ride for the entire trip.”

Tomorrow night we will begin the next stage of our life’s journey. The Foundation Stone™ prays that God will bless you with a first-class for the next step of the jouney and for the entire trip.

“God, your Lord, will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring.” (Deuteronomy 30:6) The first letters of “your heart and the heart of your offspring” spell Elul.

“From heaven God gazed down upon mankind, to see if there exists a reflective person who seeks out God.” (Psalm 53:3)

The Holy One, Blessed is He, searches for the truly righteous person who has achieved greatness through the application of his formidable intellect. God then takes a second look to see whether this person is able to let go of the reason that successfully took him so far and use only his heart to search for God. One who uses only his heart can hear what God demands.